Chapter 12: The Preparation
Kathleen’s P.O.V
The alarm clock buzzed loudly, jolting me out of my slumber. I rolled over and hit the snooze button, my mind still fuzzy from sleep. Everything had happened so fast, and reality had unfolded so quickly that I was still having difficulty coping with everything. It was like reading a prewritten script, and I was like an actor who only needed to act out my part.
It was hard to believe that I was going to be working under the man who threw me in jail. But hopefully, it was all going to be worth it because I was certain that a man like Arthur Dalton wouldn’t be stingy about the fees and we would soon be out of debt and the restaurant too would once again be on its way to success.
As the minutes ticked by, the reality of the day ahead started to sink in. I didn't want to appear irresponsible by arriving later than proposed so I swung out of bed, dar
Chapter 13: The ReasoningKathleen’s P.O.VI arrived at the Dalton Mansion earlier than I needed to, feeling relieved that I wasn’t late on my first day. Striding in through the iron gates, I was thrilled to take in the beauty all around me. I had come up here to make deliveries a couple times in the last two years, but I hadn't been allowed to go inside. There had always been guards at the door who would accept the order from me.But for the first time, today, I took a good look at the house, taking in its serenity and beauty.The mansion stood tall and proud, its stone walls gleaming in the sunlight. The grounds were immaculately kept, with perfectly trimmed hedges and flower beds which were empty in the winter. It was obvious that Arthur took special care in seeing that everything glistened to perfection. A large fountain stood at the center of the lawn, its clear water sparkling in the sun.Finally, I stepped inside the large front door made completely out of wood and it felt like
Chapter 14: The Outrageous PaymentArthur’s P.O.VI looked at Kathleen with a sense of understanding and kinship. I could relate to the hidden pain in her eyes and the small smile on her face as she narrated her ordeal. My mind drifted back to the time when I had received similar news in my life as well.I recalled the gut-wrenching feeling of knowing that my beloved wife was ill and the fear that I would lose her eventually. The restless days and the sleepless nights that followed the many tests and hopeful looks.I felt a deep sympathy for Kathleen and I wished that I could do something to help. It was hard to say, even more difficult to believe, but as I listened to Kathleen speak about the love she had for her mother, I was occupied with thoughts of Sophia, my late love, and my beloved lover and wife.At that time, sitt
Chapter 15: Return of an Old FriendArthur’s P.O.VA few moments after Hayley had dragged Kathleen away from the living room, apparently to show her all the ‘cool’ toys she owned, I followed silently behind them and found my daughter talking animatedly to Kathleen, who seemed to be just an avid listener to her little charge as she gave her a house tour.Once I was reassured that the two of them were settled in and doing alright, I set out for my car, picking up the keys in my hand on the way to the door, hoping that whatever urgency had occurred, would be dealt with within a span of a couple hours so that I can return home in time to have lunch with Hayley."Sir! Do you have somewhere you need to be?" My driver asked, racing towards me with eagerness."Yes, hold on." I said, turning to look at Gerald who had followed behind me silently like a shadow. "Keep an eye on Kathleen and Hayley. I don't want to take any chances. Even though she has proven herself to be trustworthy, I still wan
Chapter 16: Home TourKathleen’s P.O.V"Miss Kathy," The tiny voice of the girl walking beside me, interrupted my stare around the unending hallways of the Dalton mansion. "Do you want to see the rest of the house?"I tried not to show it, but I was indeed interested in looking around such a beautiful house. In all honesty, this was the first time I had seen such luxury items in my life, and some of them I didn’t even know the name of. Yet I hesitated before responding, so that I didn’t sound like a weirdo to any of the servants who might be secretly watching me."Yes, Hayley. I would be delighted to have you show me around." I nodded with a smile, when I realized that she was staring at me, waiting for me to say something."Yay," She took my hand and pulled me along with her further down the hallway. While we were walking, I couldn’t h
Chapter 17: Chef KokoKathleen’s P.O.VHayley and I were done touring the magnificent structure that her father had built, and I was still standing at the end of the hallway, gazing at the many rooms I just walked out of. The Dalton Mansion was worth every hype it got, it was every inch as beautiful as people said it was, even though I highly doubted any of them actually got to see the inside like I just had the opportunity to."Uhm," Hayley muttered in a soft tone, which I hadn't really noticed at first, but then I saw her looking up at me with large eyes and instantly knew that she wanted my attention."Yes, Hayley. What's the matter?" I asked, wondering how long I had kept her waiting like this. I felt instant regret at not paying better attention to her needs. “Do you want something?”I had no idea what she wanted or needed me to do. Till
Chapter 18: Unexpected DisagreementsKathleen’s P.O.VI walked into Hayley's room, noiselessly tiptoeing to the bed where she lay."Hayley, dear..." I said, stretching to get a close look at her. She was indeed asleep with a golden hair sprawled around her head like a halo and her large lashes casting delicate shadows on her cheeks. I placed her lunch on the table next to her bed and sat next to her soundlessly, looking down at her sleep like an angel. I wasn't sure if waking her up was the right decision at the moment, since she had been walking with me the whole day on her tiny feet. So I chose to just sit there and look at her, thinking about the most random and awkward things happening in my life at the moment.However, as time went by, I began to worry about her since it was almost two in the afternoon and she was yet to have lunch. Although it was important for her to eat, I was scared that she would wake up in a bad mood if I woke her up from the very deep sleep that she drift
Chapter 19: AttachmentKathleen’s P.O.VI was surprised by the sudden outburst that came as a response to my question, particularly because I meant no harm.An eerie silence descended in the room as we stated at each other, neither one of us spoke as I bowed my head, wondering what it was that I did so wrong that he chose to snap at me like that. He didn't seem remorseful, although judging from his gestures; I could see that he might feel bad for snapping at me."I..." I swallowed my pride and decided to do the right thing for Hayley. If it wasn’t for his little girl, then I would’ve quit and left already, but if I did leave, Hayley would be upset and I realized that I didn’t want to see her sad. "I'm sorry for overstepping my boundaries."I didn't want to lose the job that promised to pay off
Chapter 20: Intrusive questionsKathleen’s P.O.VI tucked her into the soft, cozy bed. I then dimmed the lights before sitting by her bed and reading her bedtime story from my phone.I wasn’t used to searching bedtime stories and didn’t really have an idea of what kids would like, so I chose the first story that came up on the internet, not really focusing on what it was about, but in the end, it did turn out to be an interesting story about friendship, as explained by two cute bunnies."Did you enjoy the story?" I asked when I saw how drowsy Hayley looked."I did…" Hayley said with sleepy eyes.I smiled, glad that reading her a bedtime story had been successful. I brushed her hair gently, making sure she was comfortable and warm. As her eyes started to droop, I turned off the light and whispered a goodnight prayer. "You'll sleep peacefully and with no fear. No monsters will bother you, because you are a good girl."Hayley repeated the words, switching to her point of view. Sometimes
Chapter 81: Happily Ever AfterKathleen’s P.O.V I stood in front of the full-length mirror, smoothing out the delicate lace of my white gown. It’s a stunning dress, simple yet elegant, and it made me feel like a princess.The reflection staring back at me looked like a stranger. Not because of the dress or the elegant hairstyle, but because of the happiness that radiated from my face. It had been a long journey to get here, but standing here now, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of peace and joy.My mother stood behind me, helping me with the final touches. She adjusts the veil and steps back to admire her work."Kat, you look absolutely beautiful," she says, her voice thick with emotion. She wipes away a tear that escapes down her cheek. “I didn’t think I would see you in such a wonderful wedding dress!”"Mom, don't cry," I say, though my own voice is unsteady. I turn to face her, feeling the wave of the moment settle over me. "You always said you wanted to see me settle down w
Chapter 80: Christmas ProposalKathleen’s P.O.V Christmas had been a lonely time for me these past few years. I had usually spent the holidays working or at the hospital, during my mother’s treatment. But this year, everything changed when I met Arthur and his little girl, Hayley.Today, Hayley turned to me with a big smile as we all gathered around the Christmas tree after dinner to exchange gifts. "Miss Kat, remember when I asked Santa for a mommy this Christmas?"I couldn’t help but laugh. "Oh, Hayley, of course I remember!"Hayley’s smile was enough to light up the whole room, "I think he already fulfilled my wish by giving me you."Arthur and I exchanged a look, and I felt my heart skip a beat. We had only just announced our relationship, but I knew that he was the one, the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. And maybe, Hayley was right. Santa may have just granted her wish.Arthur's mother took my hand in her with a gentle smile. “Hayley is right. Welcome to the
Chapter 79: Clearing the MisunderstandingsKathleen’s P.O.V “Where have you been Arthur?” Georgina immediately snaps at her son, her expression dark as she looks from me to Arthur and then at Savannah. “We were about to have the announcement, but then we realized that the couple were missing! How can you abandon your own party like that?”“Mother,” Arthur spoke softly, trying to calm her down. “There is something you must know first, before anything is announced. So please, listen to Savannah.”All eyes turned towards Savannah immediately and she shrunk away under the scrutiny of their combined gazes, her eyes darting towards Arthur and me as I could see her face visibly pale from fright."We’re here for you," I say softly, moving to her other side and giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.Savannah took a deep breath and finally, turned to her parents. "Mom, Dad, there’s something I need to tell you. Something I’ve been hiding for a long time." Her voice trembled with fear, but s
Chapter 78: The Truth about SavannahKathleen’s P.O.V I took a deep breath. "It's a long story," I began, unsure of where to start. But I knew I had to tell him everything."Remember when I went to Target to buy the tree for Hayley’s room?" I asked, remembering the time I had finally learned why Arthur hated Christmas so much. Arthur nodded, still looking puzzled. "Well, while I was there, I bumped into this stunning woman. She was tall, elegant, the kind of person you can't miss. It was Korina, the supermodel."Arthur's eyes widened. "Korina? What was she doing at Target?""That's what I wondered too," I said with a small laugh. "She was looking for a tree just like me. We started talking, and surprisingly, she seemed genuinely interested in getting to know me. At first, I didn't understand why someone like her would want to be friends with someone like me. I mean, I'm just an ordinary person, right?"Arthur nodded, urging me to continue. "So, we exchanged numbers and started hangin
Chapter 77: Untangled WebsKathleen’s P.O.V I stood there, frozen, as Arthur kissed me. For a moment, everything else faded away. All that mattered was the feeling of his lips on mine, the way his hand wrapped around me in a blanket of warmth and comfort.Till now, the scrutiny of our neighbors, the whispers and the gossip had become too much to handle, until Uncle Thompson finally broke the silence and asked me, point blank, what had been on everyone’s mind. It had taken me aback to the point where I didn’t have any idea how to respond.But then I had turned and watched Arthur march towards me with determination…and now, as his lips moved against mine, I couldn’t help but feel a immense amount of relief wash over me.Then, reality crashed back in, and I realized that everyone in the restaurant was staring at us. My heart sank when I noticed my parents among the onlookers, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion.I pulled away from Arthur, my face burning with embarrassment. B
Chapter 76: Can’t Wait Any LongerArthur’s P.O.V When I walked out of the room, I wasn't expecting to see Hayley standing there, tears streaming down her cheeks. Immediately, my heart clenched with concern. I knelt down beside her, gathering her into my arms gently."What's wrong, sweetheart?" I asked softly, my voice filled with worry.Hayley sniffled, her eyes red and puffy. "Daddy, did Miss Kathleen leave because I was bad? Because she doesn't love me anymore?"My heart sank even further. Kat was Hayley's beloved nanny, their relationship going even further than just the bonds of duty. They were inseparable…and now that Kathleen wasn’t here, she must be heartbroken. I rubbed Hayley's back soothingly, trying to find the right words to comfort her."No, no, Hayley," I said gently, "Kathleen loves you very much. She didn't leave because of anything you did. Sometimes, people need their own space, but that doesn't mean she doesn't love you."Hayley looked up at me with her big, watery
Chapter 75: Eve of ChangeArthur’s P.O.V I stood at the edge of the party on Christmas Eve, the music thumping through the floor and the chatter of people swirling around me. The office had transformed into a wonderful Christmas wonderland with all the necessary decors and even a gigantic Christmas tree to go along with the theme.However, it wasn’t just an ordinary Christmas party that was usually held by our company for the employees every year. This party was different.I glanced at Savannah, who was smiling tightly as she talked with some of the guests. Neither of us wanted to be here, announcing our engagement in front of everyone. It wasn't our idea. Our parents had planned this without our knowledge, springing it on us like an unwanted surprise.As I watched Savannah, my mind drifted back to the conversation I had with my mother earlier in the day. I had confronted her in the living room, where she was arranging flowers with a meticulousness that belied the chaos she had creat
Chapter 74: Unreciprocated FeelingsKathleen’s P.O.V I hadn't spoken to Cole since that incident in front of the restaurant. Seeing him now, standing awkwardly in front of me…I had no idea how to start a conversation, let alone tell him my deepest thoughts.The memory of that day was still fresh in my mind—his confession, my shocked silence, and the way everything changed in an instant. If Arthur hadn't been there that evening…I don’t think I could’ve had the courage to deal with him alone. But now, here he was, my former best friend…In all honesty, I didn’t even know if I could still call him my friend. We had too many unresolved issues between us. But as he took a seat on the edge of my bed, keeping as much distance between us as possible, I could see the worry etched on his face as he turned to face me."Kat," he says softly, his voice filled with uncertainty. "I’ve been worried about you. No matter what happened between us, I still care. I wish we could just forget that day and
Chapter 73: Comforting A FriendKathleen’s P.O.V Memories of Hayley and Arthur floated in my mind, making me feel like a heavy burden was pressing down on my chest. I had loved them both in my own way, but they were never really mine to begin with. It was time to let them go and try to move on. I needed a distraction, something to take my mind off the past.Usually, at times like this, the only person who provided me with any form of comfort was my best friend, Cole. But with the recent developments in our relationship, everything I once knew had come crashing down around me, and I knew that I could never have that connection that I once shared with Cole.When everything else failed, I decided to reach out to my new friend.I picked up my phone and dialed Korina's number. She always had a way of making me feel better, and I hoped talking to her would help. The phone rang a few times before she picked up."Hello?" Korina's voice was shaky, and I could hear sniffling in the background.